PIONEER SETTLER PASSES AWAY

Mrs. B. F. Hancock, a Resident of County Since 1866, Died March 3rd

The subject of this sketch, Mary Elizabeth Tomlinson, was born in Chautauqua, Chautauqua county, New York October 13, 1849 where she lived until after her sixteenth year.

It was in her eighth year that her mother, Mrs. Joseph Tomlinson, passed away, and Mary Elizabeth spent the greater part of the time with an aunt and uncle in Jamestown, New York.

Her education was obtained in the public schools of Chautauqua and Jamestown; also in Jamestown seminary.

In 1866 her father, Joseph Tomlinson, her sister, Amelia, her brother, Ralph and Mary Elizabeth left the home in New York and came to settle in Nebraska.

They found a desirable place for a home near Fontanelle, and it was here that Mary Elizabeth became acquainted with B. F. Hancock to whom she was later married in April, 1868.

This young couple went at once to settle and prove up on a homestead which has ever since been known as the Hancock farm.

As the years passed, a family of ten children was born to them. They were Clinton, who passed to his reward three years ago; May, who married A. E. Baldwin and lives in Anadarko, Oklahoma; Elmer, who died in infancy; Burette, who is in the postal service in Blair; Ethel, who spent several years in service as a deaconess in the Methodist church, but who has remained in the home caring for her mother during the past seven years; Grace died in her fifteenth year; Frank, employed with the Michelin Lumber co. in Omaha; Orville, who has remained in the home to carry on the work of the farm; Esta, who married A. H. Smith and lives in Columbus, Nebraska; and Amy, who lives in Blair.

In June of 1932 this long union was broken and saddened by the death of the husband and father. Mrs. Hancock continued her residence on the farm home until her summons came on Friday, March 3, 1939. Thus she occupied the same home continuously for about 71 years.

Mary Hancock was a good mother who gave wise counsel to her children. She had been a member of the Methodist church for a number of years. At the time of her death she was a member of the Evangelical church. She was a kind and sympathetic neighbor and a friend to all who needed her help.

Funeral services were held last Monday at 2 p.m. from the Evangelical Lutheran church at Telbasta with Rev. Ezra Sohl officiating, and interment was made in the Telbasta cemetery.

#2 March 9, 1939 - Herman Record

Mrs. M. Hancock Died Saturday

. Mrs. Mary Hancock, near the ninety mark in life, passed away at her home, two miles north of Telabasta, Saturday, March 3. She sustained a fall the previous Tuesday, from which she never recovered.

She had spent the past 71 years on this farm. Her husband preceded her in death a number of years ago.

Surviving are three sons and four daughters, Mrs. Mae Baldwin of Oklahoma, Miss Amy Hancock of Blair, Mrs. Al Smith of Columbus, Burdette Hancock of Blair, Frank Hancock of Omaha: Ethel and Orva at home. She was also an aunt of Mrs. Fred Robertson of this city.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the Telbasta church. Interment was made in that cemetery.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

FindaGrave # 70430503